Pretzelmaker opens its doors in Morgan

Friday the 13th might prove to be a lucky day for Morgan residents with a taste for salty or sweet snacks and meals. Pretzelmaker is set to open doors to delightful smells and tasty treats at 10 a.m. at the newest location on State Street in Morgan City. It is located in the north end of the former bus garage, where it has undergone a transformation into a tantalizing establishment.
Blane Smith is excited to open a new location in Morgan, a place he calls home. This particular location is going to be very unique and Smith is unsure what to expect—but not for lack of experience.
Smith currently has 16 other Pretzelmaker locations from St. George to Logan, as well as locations in Idaho, Wyoming and Arizona. With all of the other locations, Smith was able to have data including statistics on traffic in the malls where they are located including his first Pretzelmaker in the Ogden City Mall in 1993.
While he has perfected the art and science of creating the perfect knotted, baked bread and successfully operated numerous other Pretzelmakers, Smith is stepping into new unknown. This is the first location in a small town. Because it is a new market, Smith is not setting definite hours yet. The times will correlate with the demand.
The Morgan Pretzelmaker plans to accommodate hungry patrons after local events, adjusting times as needed. Until they have a good idea of the times they will be open, which currently is somewhere between 9-10 a.m. opening and 8 p.m. closing except for special events, it is unknown how many employees will be twisting dough for customers. “We don’t know how busy we are going to be,” Smith says.
This new store brings many uncertainties; however Smith is undaunted and enthusiastic about its opening.
The Morgan Pretzelmaker will serve as a test kitchen where new products are tried and perfected. By bringing a store close to home, Smith plans to be able to work even closer with new items to give customers the best product.
Karen Tucker will be managing the new store. Behind the baking bread Smith and other employees including his son, Justin Smith, will work on business operations for their entire line up. Growing up in the pretzel industry, Justin has years of experience, serves diligently as general manager and works on the operations of the entire network of Pretzelmakers.
Blane Smith has spent most of his life in Morgan, including the last 30 years with his wife Janae. This new location brings excitement and enthusiasm for the longtime pretzel makers. In addition to serving up what the public wants—delicious pretzel treats—they plan on serving the community in other ways such as hosting field trips and supporting high school sports.
“It’s fun!” Smith said of why he has stayed with the pretzel chain for so long. “I love making people happy.” This new location is sure to make many people happy!
Fun Fact from the company’s website, “In the early fifth century, when some monks were busy inventing Shaolin Kung Fu, German monks took a vow of deliciousness and invented the pretzel. Believe it or not, they were made to mimic arms folded in prayer and used to reward small children for good deeds.”